Mandevilla plant named ‘Inmanbepsp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘Inmanbepsp’, characterized by its upright and vining plant habit; low vigor to moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers with yellow orange-colored centers; and relative tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla sanderi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INMANBEPSP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Inmanbepsp’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Johannesburg, South Africa and Heidesheim, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Mandevilla plants that flower freely and have attractive flowers that resist fading and sun scald.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Johannesburg, South Africa in January, 2014 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number D11-2060-3, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number D11-2088-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany in June, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany since August, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Inmanbepsp’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inmanbepsp’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Upright and vining plant habit.     -   2. Low vigor to moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Red purple-colored flowers with yellow orange-colored         centers.     -   7. Relatively tolerant to low temperatures.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are larger than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are smaller than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of Mandevilla sanderi ‘Inmanpinki’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants ‘Inmanpinki’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have stronger stems than plants         of ‘Inmanpinki’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla flower earlier than plants of         ‘Inmanpinki’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Inmanpinki’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inmanbepsp’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inmanbepsp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 11-cm containers with wooden support frames in a glass-covered greenhouse in Heidesheim, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Mandevilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 40° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi ‘Inmanbepsp’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number D11-2060-3.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number D11-2088-1. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 to 25             days at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 to 30             days at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and vining plant habit;             roughly obovate in overall shape; low vigor to moderately             vigorous growth habit and low to moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.1             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 22.9             cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 18.6 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit, primary lateral branches each with about             two secondary lateral branches. Length: About 8 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm.             Aspect: Primary lateral branches, about 10° from vertical;             secondary lateral branches, about 30° from primary branch             axis. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy; becoming woody with development. Color,             developing: Close to 143A. Color, developed: Close to             between 143C and 144A; when woody, close to N199C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate to broadly elliptic.         -   Apex.—Short apiculate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Entire; not undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             moderately coriaceous; glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             moderately coriaceous; moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than between             139A and 147A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             200D. Full expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than             between 139A and N189A; venation, close to 143A to 143B.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to between. 138A             and 147B; venation, close to 145B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm by             2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.             Color, upper surface: Close to 143C. Color, lower surface:             Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged singly or in axillary cymes; flowers face outwardly             to somewhat upright; freely flowering habit with about two             flowers per inflorescence and about 18 flower buds and open             flowers developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring into the autumn in Germany; plants begin flowering             about ten weeks after propagation.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             ten days; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 11.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Distally, close to 53C;             proximally, close to 53D and at the base, close to 145B and             144B.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and             five-parted. Diameter: About 8 cm. Depth (length): About             6.7 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.3 cm. Tube length: About             5.4 cm. Tube diameter: Proximally, about 4 mm; distally,             about 1.8 cm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl; lower 60% portion of the petals are fused into             a funnelform tube. Petal length: About 9 cm. Petal width:             About 3.3 cm. Petal shape and appearance: Roughly spatulate.             Petal apex: Apiculate. Petal margin: Entire; moderately to             strongly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; matte. Petal texture             and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety; moderately glossy. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately velvety. Tube texture: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly velvety. Color: Petal, when opening,             upper surface: Close to between 53C and N57B; fading towards             the throat to close to N57B to N57C; at the throat, close to             between 53B and N57A; towards the apex, more intense than             between 53C and N57B. Petal, when opening, lower surface:             Close to 54A and 58B. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:             Close to N57A; fading towards the throat to close to N57C;             at the throat, close to between 46B and 53C; towards the             apex, more intense than between 53C and N57A; venation,             similar to lamina; color does not change with development.             Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 54A and 58B;             venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with             development. Throat: Close to 17C; proximally, close to             N144C to N144D; venation, similar to lamina. Tube: Close to             54B and 55A; proximally, close to 145C; venation, similar to             lamina.         -   Calyx.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl. Calyx length: About 8 mm. Calyx diameter:             About 8 mm. Sepal length: About 7 mm. Sepal width: About             2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Narrowly             acuminate. Sepal base: Broadly cuneate. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Sepal color: When             developing, upper surface: Close to 145B; at the apex, close             to 180C. When developing, lower surface: Close to 145B to             145C; at the apex, close to 180C. Fully developed, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 145C; at the apex, close to 180D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° from lateral branch             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:             Close to 143A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 10° to 30° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             Typically five; basifixed; anthers connivent. Filament             length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 151D. Anther             shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 1.1 cm by 1.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 162D. Pollen amount: None observed.             Pistils: Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length: About             2.5 cm. Style length: About 2.2 cm. Style color: Close to             145C. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped, pointed. Stigma color: Close to 146D. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Mandevilla. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Mandevilla     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about     40° C. and to be suitable for USDA. Hardiness Zones 9 to 13. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Inmanbepsp’ as illustrated and described. 